MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- This is what the Boston Celtics
envisioned when they traded for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers.

Delk hit a clutch 3-pointer and Rogers converted a three-point
play late in the fourth quarter as the Celtics extended their
season-high winning streak to seven games with a 103-97 victory
over the Memphis Grizzlies.

On February 21, the Celtics traded rookie Joe Johnson and
guards Milt Palacio and Randy Brown to Phoenix for Delk and
Rogers, a pair of reserves averaging double figures whom they
hoped would take some of the offensive pressure off All-Stars
Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce.

The high-scoring duo of Walker and Pierce led Boston with 38
and 20 points, respectively. But Delk sparked the rally with a
3-pointer that cut the deficit to 97-95 with 1:06 to go.

After Jason Williams and Kenny Anderson traded misses, Rogers
went hard for the rebound and easily went in for the tying
layup. His free throw gave the Celtics a 98-97 lead with 15
seconds left.

Anderson stole the ensuing inbounds pass from Grant Long and
Walker converted two free throws at the other end to make it
100-97 with 13 seconds left.

It was the second consecutive game that Anderson had a key
steal late in the game. On Wednesday, the veteran point guard
stole a pass during a decisive fourth-quarter rally against
first-place New Jersey.

The Grizzlies had one more chance after a timeout. But rookie
Shane Battier's 3-point attempt was short and Walker grabbed
the rebound and threw in a 3-pointer from about 60 feet for the
final margin.

"I can't explain it," Pierce said. "Every time our back is up
against the wall, we respond. It's just something about this
team."

"It was just a thrilling victory to be able to steal one like
that," Celtics coach Jim O'Brien said. "Our guys never feel
like they're out of a game.

Boston has won seven straight games for the first time since
January 16-30, 1994. It has not won eight in a row since March
16-March 31, 1993.

But Boston struggled all night with its shooting. The Celtics
shot just 36 percent (35-of-98) and Walker shot 13-of-33,
including 1-of-7 in the final period.

"We couldn't throw the ball in the ocean," Boston coach Jim
O'Brien said. "We had great shot selection and we could not buy
a basket. I'd like those looks every game, though."

Throughout the game, the Grizzlies used a variety of zone
defenses, but most times they had trouble with it, leading to
open looks on nearly every possession for Boston.

"They surprised us with zone and really threw us out of whack,"
Walker said. "They played zone for most of the second half.
That's a credit to them. They made us take rough shots."

The Grizzlies were up by as much as eight with under two
minutes to play following a foul shot by rookie Pau Gasol and
two by veteran Grant Long. But the 97-89 cushion quickly
evaporated as lack of execution did them in once again.

Gasol led six Grizzlies in double figures with 22 points.

"It was a very disappointing loss," Memphis coach Sidney Lowe
said. "I am very disapointed. We didn't execute properly in the
last couple of minutes. All we had to do was the same thing we
had done to get the lead. We just stopped doing that."

Memphis took an 83-81 lead with 8:27 left on a jumper by
Battier. Jumpers by Williams and Long and a dunk by Gasol built
the lead to 90-83 with 5:07 to go. But the Grizzlies made just
two more shots down the stretch as the Celtics charged all the
way back.

"We did not make the right plays down the stretch," Battier
said. "It was a series of plays that lost the game. We tasted
it but we could not get it done."